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“Yes.”

“He’ll kill me. You know that. I broke his freaking heart.”

Father raises his hands in a show of exasperation.

“This has entirely been Leopold’s doing. He’s planned it masterfully. I couldn’t stop this if I tried. I am not the Supreme Elder.”

“And you’re fine with auctioning off your daughter’s virginity to Leopold Anguish?” I ask, incredulous. “You’re fine with treating me like I’m cattle?”

“I don’t want this, Jolie. No more than you do.”

“Then stop it. Wave your hands in the air. Do whatever Castaways bullshit you have to do. This is madness.”

“This needs to happen.”

“Why?”

“This is the path for me to become the next Supreme Elder,” Father replies. “I’ve already stuck my neck out enough times for Clement and Baptiste. This is a test for me, as much as it is for Fabien.”

I shake my head.

“What the hell, Dad? This is screwed up.”

“Jolie...”

“I’m not doing it. Put me back in the car and take me home. I won’t be paired with a man who will kill me. I’m so tired of this Castaways shit.”

I want to keep going. I want to ask Father how the fuck the Order is aware I’m still a virgin. I want to make him understand how utterly grotesque all this is. I want to scream and yell.

But I’m an Auclair. And we do things logically. Methodically. With dignity.

Father is unmoved by my outburst.

“This is your duty, Jolie.”

He says it so calmly. So matter-of-factly. That Auclair dignity again. He knows it’s all he needs to say. His tone is steady, but his eyes are hard.

This is not a negotiation.

“Dad, I can’t.”

“If not for me, then do it to spite Leopold. We can’t let him win, Jolie. Imagine what he’ll do to us... to you... to your brother... if he becomes Supreme Elder. Imagine what he would do to me.”

I let out a long exhale. Look, I know what he’s saying. I may hate the secret society, but I have always been loyal to my father.

I know becoming Supreme Elder means everything to him.

I hate this. I hate how his word still works on my sorry ass. I hate how Father can so easily bring up my duty to him, and I obey. I hate how he knows exactly what button to press. I hate how I’ve been conditioned to loyalty to my family name.

I could still say no...

“If you refuse this,” Father continues softly, “then Fabien fails. He’ll never be able to join the Order.”

I remember those talks with him. How he wanted to make his late father proud like it was a vow. How much joining the secret society his father once led was all that mattered.

A tear runs down my cheek.

That’s it. I could still somehow reason my way out of loyalty to my family, but Fabien? Well...